External Affairs Officer World Bank Group Experience: 5 to 10 Years Brussels, Belgium Apply By: 04-11-2024

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. As the largest development bank in the world, the World Bank provides loans, guarantees, risk management products, and advisory services to middle-income and creditworthy low-income countries, and coordinates responses to regional and global challenges.

The mandate of the External and Corporate Relations (ECR) Vice Presidency is to strengthen the WBG’s development impact by increasing public support for, and awareness of, the mission and work of the WBG. ECR colleagues provide trusted advice, stakeholder engagement and communications strategies in support of our advocacy goals, while enhancing and protecting the reputation of the institution. ECR manages global engagement with key stakeholders, including media, civil society, private sector, donor countries, and multilateral and international organizations (including the EU, OECD, and UN agencies); and manages corporate communications, including online and social media; issues and reputational risk management; and employee engagement.

• ECR Europe manages relationships with key stakeholders, including government counterparts, parliament, civil society, private sector, academia and international organizations in the traditional European development partner and donor countries. The focus of the WBG Brussels Office is   to deepen the WBG’s partnership with the European Union Institutions (EUIs), Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and NATO.
• The Brussels-based External Affairs Officer is expected to spend half of his/her time on issues related to the Country Dialogue with the Netherlands and the other half on issues related to the European Union Institutions.  S/he reports to ECR Special Representative to the EU, based in Brussels, who in turn reports to the ECR Special Representative to Europe, based in Paris. They will work closely with the ECR teams in Washington, DC and Western Europe.
• The External Affairs Officer is responsible for analysis and advice to ECR Europe leadership and WBG Senior Management on the Netherlands’ development priorities and overall authorizing environment relative to the WBG mission and activities. The External Affairs Officer will also support the WBG’s engagement with the EUIs. This requires maintaining a strong dialogue with Dutch and EU counterparts, staying abreast of political and economic developments, and implementing multi-constituency outreach programs.   The External Affairs Officer will also work closely with the World Bank’s corporate media team in Europe.

The External Affairs Officer’s major responsibilities will include, but are not limited, to the following:

Planning and Program:

• Identify counterparts, partners, priorities, and thematic foci for the World Bank’s outreach in the Netherlands and with EUI and lead the preparation of a comprehensive outreach strategy.
• Coordinate the Netherlands Development Partner Coverage Team with colleagues from the Development Finance Vice-Presidency (DFi), and with the WBG’s private sector arm IFC (the International Finance Corporation).
• Implement the outreach strategy, focusing on key constituencies in the Netherlands and Brussels, including governments and parliaments, civil society, academia and think tanks.
• Forge and develop strong partnerships and other relations with key partners and stakeholders, more specifically European Commission Directorates-General and services (e.g. INTPA, ECHO, EEAS) and the European Parliament, to advance the WBG’s strategic agenda.

Research, Analysis and Briefing:

• Prepare in-depth policy briefs/papers on the Netherlands and European political and economic developments taking into consideration the impact of national/ EU policies, trends, and attitudes on bilateral and multilateral development cooperation.
• Prepare briefings for meetings between World Bank management/staff and counterparts, including for the World Bank Spring and Annual Meetings, World Bank staff visits to the Netherlands and Brussels, and other briefing requests.
• Monitor and evaluate Dutch and EU development cooperation policy activities and trends, identify potential risks and opportunities and potential impact on WBG programs and cooperation with the Netherlands and EU. 

Visits, Events and Networking:

• Plan and organize events, seminars, and conferences and/or, if applicable, WBG staff participation in events, seminars, or conferences in the Netherlands and Brussels.
• Organize and manage logistics and schedules of visits of WBG Senior Management to the Netherlands and Brussels.
• Serve as first point of contact for Dutch inquiries into the WBG and represent the WBG at meetings, events and conferences in the Netherlands and Brussels and convey corporate positions as applicable.
• Liaise, manage, and maintain relationships with key development cooperation partners.
• Identify and establish relationships with auxiliary partners in the broader authorizing environments.

Selection Criteria

• Minimum of a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in economics, development, political science, international relations/public affairs, law or any other related field, combined with at least 5 years of relevant practical experience OR equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Superior analytical skills coupled with proven ability to communicate clearly and concisely in English, both verbally and in writing. Ability to extract essential elements from voluminous materials and to present them concisely and coherently in written and spoken form.
• Active network within the authorizing environments in the Netherlands and Brussels.
• Fluency in Dutch a must.
• Good overall knowledge of the WBG, its mission and strategy. Familiarity with the World Bank’s operations, policies, and procedures (project cycle and World Bank-financed projects) is an advantage.
• Good knowledge and understanding of the economy, culture, institutions, media, regions, and political trends in the Netherlands and Europe. Good knowledge and familiarity with EUI.
• Knowledge of ODA priorities and positions in the Netherlands and EU.
• Strong interest in development issues and public affairs.
• Ability to effectively interact with internal and external clients at all levels in a multicultural environment, and to exercise judgment, tact, and discretion in dealing with sensitive and/or confidential matters.
• Good understanding of communications approaches, tools and methodologies related to planning, executing, and monitoring internal and/or external communications campaigns, strategies and programs.
• Excellent sense of initiative, drive for results and client orientation coupled with strong planning and organizational skills.
• Proven ability to work independently as well as under pressure, to multi-task and to adjust priorities to achieve results in line with agreed objectives and deadlines.
• Ability and willingness to work well as part of a team in a multicultural environment, and across units within the WBG.
• Proficiency in the World Bank’s standard computer technology packages (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and familiarity with the Internet and web-based research

Source: https://worldbankgroup.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?id=29895&site=1